The Alpha and His Leopard (mxm)

Prologue

"Alpha we found a leopard shifter on the northern borders," my Beta said to me through our link.

"Bring him to the holding cells," I replied. Why didn't he do that in the first place? It was standard protocol.

"He's volatile. We tried going closer but he keeps hissing and swiping his claws at us," he said tersely. 

I sighed exasperatedly. An entire guard is being held back by a kitty cat.

"Well take him down."

"We can't. We smell wolfsbane around him. It's too risky."

I groaned and ran my hands down my face and with a resigned sigh, I heaved myself out of my office chair and made my way to the window. Leaping out of it and shifting mid-air, I made a run for the northern borders. The closer I got, the more irritated I became. My men are trained almost every day, yet they get bested by a cat and a plant.

My pitch black wolf smelt the leopard before I even entered its 'camp'. The enticing smell beckoned to me and I internally groaned. That kitty cat was my mate.

A fit of rage overtook me when I saw my northern guard snarling at him. The idiots! Of course the damn leopard was volatile; he was surrounded by drooling and snarling wolves and was responding in kind. I barked out and my men immediately became docile. I growled at them, showing my displeasure and they whimpered and cowered back at my sheer power. I flicked my huge head in the direction of the home base.

"Meeting now! Leave the leopard to me," I said to them through the guard link. My Beta hesitated at the edge of the treeline, his gaze flickering between me and the rogue shifter who still had his hackles risen and was bent low to the ground, poised to rush at anything that dared move. I nodded my head and with that subtle command he turned to make his way back.

The leopard did not release its attack stance and though the challenge was upsetting my dominant wolf, I understood that the poor shifter was just scared. To ease his discomfort I shifted back and spread my hands. I was bare and weapon-less and though it sent a shiver of unease through me, I needed the leopard to trust me.

He looked at me warily, trying to decipher my actions and assess the threat I posed to him. I smiled and layed out my hand. I could clearly see that instinct was driving his actions; it happens when shifters stay in their animal form for too long. They become more animal than human. It backed away and hissed at me, looking at my hand like it personally offended him.

"Come to me little one," I cooed, "I'll take care of you."

It tilted its head and and I saw its ears perk up. Its magnificent tail that was previously stood up, was now curled around it.

I stepped towards it then, my hand still cautiously outstretched. It made no move to stop me, just stared me down with his soulful blue eyes. Taking that as a good sign, I laid my hand on his head, running my fingers through his fur. Sparks began to shoot up my hands and into my body and the leopard purred at my sweet touch.

"Shift for me beautiful," I whispered.

A tremor went through its body and in the beautiful snow leopard's place was a sexy slim human. He could barely touch my chin; he was so small. I swallowed my spit, in an attempt to quench my suddenly dry throat. He was so beautiful. His hair was a musty yellow, his face was slim, nearly gaunt and he was covered in smudges of dirt. His eyes were a bit sunken in, the blue depths swirling with emotion. His skin was blotched and bruised, some yellow, others purple and with a pang of sadness, I noticed that his ribs were clearly visible, nearly protruding out of the boy's chest.

"Do you speak dear one?" I ran my hands through his hair, and he cuddled his head into my massive chest. I could feel the mate bond wrapping around us, putting us into our own little world. He shook his head, effectively rubbing his face into my wiry chest hairs.

I tried to pull away from him so that I could communicate with him better, but he panicked and wrapped his legs around me. My wolf purred in content at the neediness and submission of our mate. He was a natural submissive. I cooed into his hair that I wasn't going anywhere, yet he still had me in his vice like grip.

I looked around the clearing and noticed that my beta was indeed telling the truth. There was wolfsbane planted around the makeshift camp as well as the surrounding trees. It seemed my mate knew that there were wolves in the vicinity and decided to protect himself. 

I hoisted him up higher, subjected to the fact that I would have to carry him. I placed my hands on his butt and tried not to think about the erection that I was positive he could feel against his own. My lust was the last of my priorities. Taking care of my mate was the first one and from the way he clung onto me, I had a feeling that it would take longer than I expected.